SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Despite a trio of hat tricks and its highest-scoring effort in series history against Utah, the Bellarmine University lacrosse team dropped a 20-14 contest to the Utes on Saturday in an Atlantic Sun Conference opener at Ute Field.

Senior attack John Alie, brother and sophomore attack Joe Alie, and sophomore attack Ezra Moore combined for 11 goals for the Knights (4-8, 0-1 ASUN), whose 14 total scores were the most against Utah (6-3, 1-0) in the 11-game series. As far as this season, the output tied the third-most goals of the year for Bellarmine.

Unfortunately for the Knights, Utah's 20 goals were also its most prolific performance in the series' history. Luke McNamara, who entered the weekend as the national leader in goals per game and total goals, racked up a game-high six for the Utes, who have won five of their last six matches with a minimum of 16 goals in the victories during that span.

The ASUN preseason favorite, Utah jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Bellarmine settled in and cut the deficit to 4-3. It was 8-5 in the second quarter after Joe Alie became the Knights' fifth different player to record a goal.

The definitive stretch of the game for Utah followed. The Utes bridged the second and third quarters with a 7-1 run that saw their advantage balloon to 15-6. McNamara and ASUN Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Ryan Stines bookended the key segment with goals.

The deficit was too steep to overcome, but that didn't stop Bellarmine from trying its best to make a major comeback. In less than a two-minute span in the third quarter, the Knights peeled off four straight goals, with junior midfielder Luke Healy triggering the burst and Moore capping it following a pair of scores by Joe Alie.

Bellarmine was within 15-10 with roughly five minutes left in the third quarter and the Knights would continue to locate the net thereafter, but Utah repeatedly had an answer. In fact, the final nine goals of the contest were exchanged by the teams, with neither scoring consecutively over the last quarter-plus of action.

John and Joe Alie netted four goals apiece. Both have eight hat tricks this season. With three goals, Moore tallied his fourth hat trick of the year to go along with two assists.

Healy notched a goal and two assists while freshmen Dillon O'Rourke and Jack Fischel contributed a goal apiece. Junior defender Matt Kirton chipped in an assist. Junior Niko Madden won 11 of his 21 face-off attempts.

Bellarmine will welcome Air Force at noon (ET) Saturday in its ASUN home debut.

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